Kite



Oct". 11, 1949.

M. KAY

KITE

Filed Oct. 2, 1946 INVENTOR Murray Hay M M ICM-l/ ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to kites and particularly to a kite having novel structural features which improve the performance of the kite and impart qualities of durability not attainable in conventional kite constructions.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a kite having an inherently flexible construction which absorbs and distributes strains which would destroy a conventional kite.

It is an object of the invention to provide a kite having a sheet or airfoil surface of tough plastic film having reinforced corners which provide pockets for the reception of the spreader sticks and for the securement of the bridle strings.

It is another object of the invention to provide a kite in which the surface curvature may be easil adjusted according to the force of the wind, making it possible safely to fly the kite under conditions which would damage or destroy other kites.

It is an object of the invention to provide a kite which is easily assembled and disassembled, and in which the surface sheet may be rolled or folded for packing, without damage.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of an assembled kite the camber string being loose and untied;

Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation in section on lines 2-2 of Fig. 1, when the kite is fully assembled for flying;

Fig. 3' is a plan section at station 3-3 of Fig. 1, the kite having been given the desired camber by tightening and securing the camber string;

Figs. 4 and 5 are details of the pocket and corner reinforcement structures which may optionally be used for spreader stick and bridle securement; and

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a kite of optional design, having a flagstaif affixed thereto.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the kite H3 comprises a sheet I I of relatively conventional polygonalconfiguration, said sheet being of relatively thin plastic material such as the heat-scalable vinyl resins. At the respective corners of the sheet there are provided reinforcement elements 12 which are similarly of heat sealable plastic, and preferably of relatively heavy stock. As appears in Fig. 4, the respective reinforcements comprise elongate strips which are foldable over the sheet H to lie on both surfaces thereof, and are preferably welded or otherwise adhesively secured thereto along the marginal edges i3, M. The reinforcements are shaped to provide a deep pocket E5 on one or both faces of the kite sheet, said pockat extending inwardly from the corners of the sheet and. having an open mouth at its inner end. The pockets are of such length and width as to snugly accommodate the end of a spreader stick It for the firm securement thereof. In the polygonal kite illustrated in Fig. 1 there are six pockets to accommodate the ends of the three spreaders iii; in the conventional diamond shape of Fig. 6, only two spreaders, a vertical and a horizontal, are required, as is well known.

The optional reinforcement-pocket structures of Figs. 4 and 5 provide for the securement of the necessary bridle string and camber strings. In Fig. 4, the reinforcement I2 has spaced holes 20 extending completely through at the welded margins IA. The multi-ply construction at such margins affords great resistance against tearing. In Fig. 5, the reinforcement 12a is carried beyond the edge of the kite sheet and formed with a passage H.

In assembling the kite it is necessary only to flex the respective spreader sticks so that the ends can be inserted into the appropriate pockets. The kite sheet will then be rigidly extended, but will be flat.

The camber string I8 is looped at one end through a pair of holes 20 of one of the side reinforcement pockets and is tied as shown in Fig. 1.

The free end is then brought through the opposite pair of holes and tension applied to the string to bow or camber the kite transversely as shown in Fig. 3. It has been found that by giving to the kite more or less camber according to the strength of the wind-the higher the wind velocity the greater the camber-the kite will satisfactorily and safely perform under wind conditions which are damaging or disastrous to conventional kite construction.

In order to provide means for the attachment of a kite string, bridle strings 2| are looped through the openings of the respective corners and are joined together approximately centrally of the transverse stiffener by attaching the kite string thereto. It will be understood that in such arrangement the holes in the side pockets will serve as anchoring means for both the camber string l8 and are transversely extending bridle string 2 l In employing the embodiment of Fig. 5, the camber strings and bridle strings are passed through the opening I! and tied as previously described. The construction of Fig. 5 may be preferred in that it positions the camber strings and bridle strings at the extreme corners of the kite sheet.

pockets on both faces on the kite sheet makes- 4 spreader sticks secured across said sheet by positioning the ends of said sticks within the said pockets. 7

2. A kite, comprising a polygonal sheet of thin material, an elongate strip of relatively heavy material secured to one face of said sheet at the apexes thereof and having elongate pockets extending from said apexes toward the central portion of said kite, said members, at opposite sides of said pockets, having holes extending therethrough and through the sheet to receive bridle strings threaded therethrough, and spreader it possible to use either side optionally, and

the event that one of the pockets has become spread or expanded from long use, the spreaders It may be applied to the undamagedkpockets on;

the other side of the sheet and the entire construction merely reversed.

The provision of the pockets on each; surface of the sheet also makes it possible to add certain decorative or otherwise attractive devices to the kite, as shown in Fig. 6. A flagpole structure includes a vertical rod and a horizontal rod secured thereto. By making the said rod of plastic materials like the spreaders it the vertical and transverse elements may be molded in one piece, adhesively joined, or welded together. On the face of the kite at the upper apex thereof, there is-provided a plastic strap or the like 23, open at top and bottom so that the vertical rod 24 1:,

may be passed therethrough, it being understood that the illustrated flag F would at that stage not have been applied to the end of said rod. 'After passing the vertical rod 24 through its strap as aforesaid, the end of the transverse rod 25 may be pocketed within the pockets l5 at'the side corners of the kite.

It will be understood that although the latter construction is illustrated with particular reference to the diamond shaped kite of Fig. 6, it is equally applicable to the Fig. 1 embodiment, which at its upper central edge would be provided with a strap similar to strap 23.

The rigid three-point securement of the flagpole structure by the deep pockets l5 and the strap 23 adequately supports the structure against wind action.

It will be seen that kites constructed according to the present invention have an inherent flexibility of structure in that the spreader sticks, being preferably of smooth-walled plastic material, have freedom of movement within the plastic pockets so as to flex and yield as variant wind forces impinge upon the kite.

After disassembly of the kite, the spreader sticks may be rolled in the outer sheet, the bridle strings being undisturbed.

Although the invention has been described by making a fully detailed reference to a certain presently preferred embodiment, such detail of description is to be understood in an instructive rather than a-lirniting sense, many changes being possible within' the scope of the claims hereto a pended.

I claim:

l. Akite, comprising a polygonal sheetof thin, plastic material, elongate straps of relatively heavier material folded over the sheet at the corners thereof and-secured to the faces of said sheet along marginal edges'of said straps, saidstraps being provided on each face of said sheet with an elongate pocket extending inwardly from the apexes of said corners, each said pocket having an entrance opening at itsinner end, and'fiexible sticks extending transversely of said kite and removably secured thereto by insertion into the said pockets.

3'; Av kite, comprising a polygonal sheet of thin, plastic material, mutually opposed pairs of elongate members of relatively heavier material beingsecured to opposite faces of said sheet at the corners thereof and secured to said faces along the marginal edges of said members, all of said members on a common face of said sheet having elongatev pockets to removably confine spreader sticks positioned diagonally across said sheet, and said pairs of members having holes extending therethrough oneach side of said pocket to receive bridle strings for said kite.

4. A kite, comprising a sheet of relatively thin material, an elongate strip of relativelyheavy material disposed on the sheet. at the respective corners thereof and secured to said sheet along side marginal edges of said strips, said strips being on a common. face of said sheet and elongate pockets extending from the corners of said sheet inwardly toward the central area of said. sheet for the receptionof spreader sticks placed across said sheet in mutually intersecting relationship; said members having at their outer. ends passages extending from side to side for the receipt of bridle strings.

5. A kite, comprising a sheet of relatively thin; flexible, material of polygonal shape, said sheethaving secured to one face at the corners thereof, relatively heavy strips of material formed with pockets for the reception of the ends of spreader sticks extending across said sheet in intersecting relationship, and saidstrips having means for the attachment of bridle strings; said sheet having, on the opposite face, mutually opposed pocket providing strips of material and centrally above.

said last-named strips a strap of material, said last-named pockets and strap receiving-a struce ture of inverted T shape for the securement of a flag or like device.

6. A kite comprising a polygonal sheet of rela' tively thin material; and means at the respective corners of said sheet for securing spreader sticks said means comprising strap-like elements of material secured to a face of said sheet, said elements having openings at their inner ends to receive the ends. of said spreader sticks and being folded back on themselves at their outer ends to provide passages for the reception of bridle strings.

MURRAY KAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the. file of this patent:

Wolf Feb. 23, 193'; 

